TYPES OF FINANCIAL RATIOS - Candor Holdings
TYPES OF FINANCIAL RATIOS
In the previous articles we discussed how to invest in the stock market and unit trusts. When investing in the stock market an investor should have a clear understanding about the company that he is investing in. Financial ratios will help an investor to get a sufficient understanding of the company's financial status.
Ratio Analysis is a form of Financial Statement Analysis that is used to obtain a quick indication of a firm's financial performance in several key areas. Financial ratios are categorized according to the financial aspect of the business which the ratio measures. Financial ratios allow for comparisons
between companies between industries between different time periods for one company between a single company and its industry average
Ratios generally hold no meaning unless they are benchmarked against something else, like past performance or another company. Thus, the ratios of firms in different industries, which face different risks, capital requirements, and competition are usually hard to compare.
In the analysis of financial statements it is better to have a complete understanding of the different types of ratios, their calculation, and interpretation. Financial ratios can be classified into five types as follows.
1. Liquidity ratios
2. Asset Management ratios
3. Leverage ratios
4. Profitability ratios
5. Valuation ratios
Liquidity ratios
Liquidity ratios asses the firm`s ability to meet its short- term obligations using short-term assets. The short-term obligations are the ones recorded under current liabilities that come due within one financial year. Short-term assets are the current assets. There are three (03) important liquidity ratios.
1. Current Ratio
The current ratio (CR) is equal to total current assets divided by total current liabilities. This indicates the extant to which current liabilities can be paid off through current assets.
Current Ratio =
Current Assets Current Liabilities
2. Quick asset Ratio
One Key problem with the current ratio is that it assumes that all current assets can be converted in to cash in order to meet short-term obligations. We know this assumption is
highly untrue. Firms carry current assets, such as inventory and pre-paid expenses which can not be converted into cash quickly. To correct this problem, the quick asset ratio (QAR) removes from current assets less liquid current assets, such as inventory and pre-paid expenses, which cannot be converted into cash quickly. The quick ratio, also called the acid test ratio, is equal to liquid current assets, divided by current liabilities. It indicates the extent to which current liabilities can be paid off through liquid current assets such as cash, marketable securities, and accounts receivables.
Quick asset Ratio =
Current Assets - Inventory Current Liabilities
3. Cash Ratio
The cash ratio goes a step further and examines the ability of the firm to settle short-term liabilities using only cash and cash equivalents such as marketable securities. In other words, the cash ratio indicates the extent to which current liabilities can be paid through very liquid assets.
Cash Ratio =
Cash +Marketable Securities Current Liabilities
Asset Management Ratios
Asset management ratios also known as efficiency ratios indicate the efficiency of the use of assets in generating sales. There are five (05) more important efficiency ratios: average collection period, inventory turnover, cash conversion cycle, fixed assets turnover and total assets turnover.
1. Average Collection Period
The average collection period (ACP), also known as days sales outstanding (DSO), indicates the average length of time the firm must wait after making a credit sale before it collects cash. In other words, it shows the average number of days accounts receivables remain outstanding. The ACP is calculated as follows:
Average Collection Period =
Receivables Annual credit Sales/365
This is an important ratio used to evaluate the credit policy of the firm in relation to the industry norms. A higher ACP indicates a liberal policy in that the firm gives more times to debtors for making payments. A lower ACP indicates astringent policy in that the firm gives less time for debtors.
2. Inventory / Stock Turnover
The inventory turnover indicates whether inventory levels are reasonable in relation to cost of goods sold. Inventory Turnover ratio is calculated as follows:
Inventory / Stock Turnover =
Cost of Goods sold Average Inventory
Lower inventory turnover ratio relative to the industry standard may indicate excessive, obsolete, or slow moving inventory, while higher turnover may indicate inadequate inventory and perhaps possibility of inventory shortages.
3. Cash Conversion Cycle
The cash conversion cycle shows the average number of days the cash is tied up in inventory and receivables. Typically, a firm buys inventory, and cash is tied up in inventory for a number of days before they are sold and converted in to receivables. Thus beyond the initial period in which cash is tied up in inventory, there is an additional time period where cash is tied up in receivables. However, firms are also able to obtain inventory on a credit basis, to that extent, the firm does not tie up its own funds in building inventory. Hence, the total number of days cash is tied up in inventory and receivables can be determined as follows.
Inventory processing Days
Cash Conversion Cycle =
+ Average Collection Period - Payables Payment Period
4. Fixed asset Turnover
The fixed asset turnover ratio measures the efficiency of the use of fixed assets in generating sales. It is computed as sales divided by average net fixed assets, where the average net fixed assets is equal to the simple average of beginning and ending balance sheet values of net fixed assets. Net fixed assets are gross fixed assets less accumulated depreciation.
Fixed Asset Turnover =
Sales Average Net Fixed Assets
A lower fixed asset turnover relative to the industry may indicate that the firm carries excessive fixed assets. A higher turnover may indicate inadequate, low, outdated or depreciated fixed assets.
5. Total Asset Turnover
Total asset turnover ratio measures the efficiency of the use of total assets in generating sales. Total assets are sum of current and net fixed assets. The total asset turnover is calculated as sales divided by average total assets. The average total assets are the simple average of total assets at the beginning and end of the period.
Total Asset Turnover =
Sales Average Total Assets
Leverage Ratios
The leverage ratios, also called debt management ratios, measure two key aspects of the use of debt financing by the firm. The use of debt financing a called financial leverage. We want to know the level of financial leverage used by the business as well as the ability of the firm to service its debt obligations. The debt ratio, debt-equity ratio and interest cover is discussed below.
1. Debt Ratio
The debt ratio indicates the proportion of assets financed through both short-term and longterm debt. This ratio is computed as total debt, which is the sum of short-term and long-term debt, as a percentage of total assets. A higher ration indicates higher leverage. A higher ration also means lower debt capacity in that the ability for the firm to raise funds through more debt is lower due to already high debt levels.
Debt Ratio =
Total Debt Total Assets
2. Debt ? Equity Ratio
The debt to equity ratio (D/E) is also widely used as an indication of the level of financial leverage. While there are several ways of computing this ratio, the most useful version is to express long term debt as percent of total equity. Thus it focuses only on the long-term financing, both debt and equity, and it is meaningful when we want to examine the long-term leverage. Total equity includes both preferred equity and common equity. A higher debt equity ratio indicates greater leverage and potentially higher financial risk.
Debt ? Equity Ratio =
Long Term Debt Total Equity
3. Interest Cover
The interest converge ratio, also known as the times-interest earned ( TIE), measures the ability of firm`s current operating earnings (EBIT) to meet current interest obligations. It is the ratio of EBIT to interest charge. The ratio shows number of times the interest payment are covered by the firm`s operating earnings. The larger the coverage the better their ability of the firm to service interest obligations on debt.
Interest Coverage =
EBIT Interest Charge
Profitability Ratios
The profitability ratios, also known as performance ratios, assesses the firm`s ability to earn profits on sales, assets and equity. These are critical to determining the attractiveness of investing in company shares, and investors use these ratios widely. We will examine five important profitability ratios, namely, gross profit margin, operating profit margin, net profit margin, return on assets, and return on equity.
1. Gross Profit Margin
The gross profit margin (GPM) shows the firm`s profit margin after deducting costs of goods sold but before deducting operating expenses, interest expenses, and taxes. This ratio is also known as gross profit ratio.
Gross Profit Margin =
Sales ? Cost of Goods Sold Sales
This is the first level of profitability. The GPM depends primarily on the firm`s product pricing and cost control. The price of the product impacts sales. Production cost such as material, labour, and overhead or the cost of purchases affect the cost of goods sold. A firm with a better ability to price products in line with inflation of cost of production and the ability to control production costs or suppliers will be able to maintain or increase gross margins.
2. Operating Profit margin
The operating profit margin (OPM) shows the firm`s profit margin after deducting cost of goods sold and operating expenses but before interest expenses and taxes. The operating profit is the earnings before interest and taxes or EBIT as a percent of ales.
Operating Profit margin =
EBIT Sales
The OPM reflects the true profitability of firm`s business in that it is calculated before deducting interest costs, which are a result from firm`s financing decision, and taxes, which are outside the control of the firm. In other words, regardless of the way the firm is financed, whether through debt or equity, and regardless of the taxes imposed by the government, the firm is able to earn this margin.
3. Net Profit Margin
This is the bottom line profitability, which most analysts and investors pay attention to on a
regular basis. The net profit margin (NPM) shows the firm`s profit margin after all the costs
and expenses. It is the profit available for distribution to common shareholders a percentage
of sales.
Net Income
Net Profit margin =
Sales
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